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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 12 June 2018

Paris bistros seek UN status as 'intangible cultural' gems

By SYLVIE CORBET His ancestors moved from
Associated Press Brussels to Paris in 1784 and
PARIS (AP) — Owners of he represents the ninth
the bistros and terrace generation living in the
cafes that are integral same neighborhood.
to the Paris way of life "I can't talk about the
want the "je ne sais quoi" attacks," he said, looking at
of their establishments to a wooden table his great-
be recognized as both grandfather built. "I was
of global value and hurt because it targeted
endangered. Parisian 'art de vivre,'" the
They have launched a way of life.
campaign to be named by "We built this over centuries
the United Nations' cultural — these terraces and bistros
agency as an "Intangible ... and I thought about these
Cultural Heritage in Need colorful Parisian youths,
of Urgent Safeguarding." from different ethnic and
UNESCO has given that religious backgrounds on
status to traditions as varied these terraces and bistros,"
as a Mongolian camel- Fontaine said. "These
coaxing ritual, Iranian people were targeted.
sailboat building and the In this photo taken Thursday, June 7, 2018, Pierre-Christophe Hantz, poses in front of his restaurant, People who were Parisians."
sung prayers of indigenous Le Vaudesir, in Paris, France. After the attacks, Parisians
Peruvians. Associated Press rallied to cafes and terraces
Members of a bistro owners in a show of defiance.q
association gathered But the traditional bistro also socially varied people. All back, he said, 'It's really
Monday at Le Mesturet is threatened by increasing of this disappears inside a something that I missed -
in central Paris. With its rents and competition, and bistro." the bistros,'" Mathey said.
zinc counter, wooden their number has dropped The association hopes The couple eventually
tables and wine bottles for by half in the past 20 years, to see its candidacy decided to open their own.
decoration, it is typical of the owners argued. examined by UNESCO Alain Fontaine stressed that
the kind of establishment "Our most beautiful love next year. Paris Mayor the "real Parisian bistro"
people were relaxing and friendship stories were Anne Hidalgo supports the offers homemade food
outside of when extremists often born in bistros and initiative. and accessible prices —like
shot at them on Nov. 13, on terraces," Le Mesturet Stephanie Mathey, 39, a coffee for 1 euro ($1.1)
2015. owner Alain Fontaine, the the owner of three bistros and the days' special with
The chefs and business association's president, in Paris, said she enjoyed a glass of wine for 12 euros
owners said the bistros said. taking a coffee in such ($14.)
of Paris play a key role A visiting tourist "will find places even before they Fontaine gets emotional
in bringing people of all a lively place, a place to became her life work. Her when discussing the
origins, religions, social share with the people of husband grew up in the bar November 2015 extremist
classes and age together Paris - the people of Paris his parents owned. attacks that targeted a
in a cheap and welcoming of today, not the people of "Later, he went to the concert hall and a soccer
place to drink coffee or the past," Fontaine added. United States for a long stadium as well as cafes,
share a meal. "A multi-ethnic, inter-faith, time and when he came leaving 130 people dead.